What items have you learned you need to take?

What items have you expereinced travelers learned to bring to make things even better(if that is possible!!)? For example, the wife and I throw in a dozen or so of the Crystal Light type drink packets that are made to put in a bottle of water for thos mornings when we're not ready for alcohol and soda doesn't really sound good. We also thow in some salty snacks as the seem to be in short supply in Jamaica. Any other ideas?

I take plastic bags & zip lock bags to pack all the wet or damp clothes in for the trip home so they don't bleed all over everything else in the suitcase. Next time, I'm gonna remember to take some bubble wrap for the rum, etc. we buy that we have to pack in our checked luggage.

I take Shout Wipes or Tide Stick for emergency clean ups and a small bottle of Woolite to rinse out swim wear. I also take some anti-itch cream. More swimsuit cover ups and fewer shorts and tanks. We don't go off the resort that much and the cover ups work for breakfast and lunch.

Pens to fill out the customs and immigration forms on the plane before you land in MoBay. It sounds like a simple thing, but we didn't have a pen one year, the flight attendants had none to give passengers, the people sitting around us acted like their pens were their most cherished possessions and wouldn't allow us to use theirs, and none could be found in immigration. It was a much bigger headache than it should have been.

Just in case folks might be wondering why I posted basically the same post twice, I posted this on June 26, but it did not actually show up on the Message Board until June 29. In the meantim I assumed the post had somehow disappeared, so I posted a second thread called "The "I wish I would have thought of that" thread. This thread posted right away and has had a number of great responses.

I think the plastic bag for wet/damp clothes as mentioned above for sure. Takes a long time for clothes to fully dry in Jamaica even hanging out on the balcony. I also agree with the cream for insect bites. Those naughty sand fleas love to bite. OH and if you can spare the room, I think some enclosed shoes of some type. Last time I took only sandals and then I went horseback riding...and had to wear sandals cause I wasn't going to let anything like not having shoes stop my horseback ride tour.

I've gotten sick while on vacation too many times and I'm pretty sure it's because I caught something on the plane ride there. I read an article about why people are more likely to catch colds when they fly. The main culprits are horribly dry air on the plane which dry up your nasal passages and make you more susceptible to infection, and the germ-covered armrests, trays and other things you touch. This time I'll be ready with antibacterial wipes to wipe down my area, and nasal spray to combat the dryness. I'm not a germaphobe but I'm tired of my trips being ruined because I caught something on the plane.

Another interesting tidbit: only drink the water on the plane if you WITNESS the bottle being opened and ask for NO ice. The bottles might be filled with the stagnant plane water to save money and the ice is most probably made with it.